Topping mechanism



July 26, 1938. J. H. MURCH TOPPING MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR I I M ATTORNEYS Patented July 26, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,124,588 V TOPPING MECHANISM John H. Murch, East Orange, N. J., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 17, 1935, Serial No. 31,914

10 Claims.

The present invention relates tofa'can topping mechanism for pressing or compacting the contents of, filled cans preparatory to covering and sealing the same and hasparticular reference to pressing and holding devicesfor compacting a product having a resilient or springy nature such as meat or the like. 1

An object of the invention is the provision of a topping mechanism, for cans containing aresilient or springy product, wherein the product is pressed into a can within the rim of its open end and is held down in the can until a cover is applied and secured in place to prevent escape or loss of the product and to prevent interference of the product with the closing or cover applying operation by reason of undesirable pressure againstthe inner surface of the cover.

Another object is the provision of. such a mechanism which is rotary in form and which is provided with forked or tined topping devices which are moved in time with a continuously advancing can to press its contents into the can and hold them compressed until thecan is advancedunder stationary cooperating devices which engage over the can. top to prevent escape of the contents while the tined topping devices are being withdrawn from the can.

Still another object is the provision of such a topping mechanism which is simple in construction and which may be readily associated and synchronized with a variety of can feeds or a variety of can handling machines such as can closing machines, double seamers, vacuum closing machines.

invention will be apparent as it is better under stood "from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a' can closing machine including a topping mechanism embodying the instant invention, parts being broken away; V,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the'machine illustrated in Fig. 1 taken substantially along the broken line 22 in that figure, with parts broken away:

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken sub-' stantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2, parts broken away; I v

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially along the curvedline 4'4 in Fig. 2 and Numerous other objects and advantages of the Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective View showing the lower parts of one of the topping elements.

The drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention in one of many types of machines'to which the invention is applicable. In this machine, a product, such as meat or the like, having a resilient or elastic nature which has been previously filled into bottomed open top cans A, is compacted in the cans preparatory to covering or sealing them. The filled cans are received on a rotating disc, from a filler or the like machine, with the product projecting above' the upperrim of the cans as it usual in canning products such as meat.

The disc spaces and times the movement of the cans and'carries them forward in a continuous procession into the zone of a topping device. Here the cans are individually engaged by a star wheel which transfers them from the disc to a stationary supporting member. While being propelled by the disc and wheel, a forked or grooved topping element is moved down against the projecting product, pushing it down into the can below its upper rim, the topping element entering the can for this purpose.

The topping element remains in this product compacting position within the can until the can is moved wellund'er a stationary hold down plate V or grate. The plate is provided with openings or slots which provide clearance spaces for tenons or tines J of the forked topping element. This intermeshing of the tines with the slots permits moving the can under the plate while the topping element is still in the can. 'As soon as the can is well: under the plate the topping element is withdrawn and theproduct remains confined in the, can against escape by the plate. The can is now engaged by a chain conveyor which'carries it away from the star wheel and slides it along the top of the supporting member, under the hold down plate, to a sealing mechanism. At. the sealing station the can emerges from under the hold down plate and is immediately lifted from the conveyor into engagement with a sealing element where a can cover iswaitingto be secured'in position on top of the can. After this sealing operation the closed can 'is lowered into engagement with the conveyor and is carried away to any suitable place of deposit.

' Referring now in' more detail to the drawings, the cans A are first received on a rotating 'feed in. disc ll (Figs: 1 and 2) mounted on 'a shaft l2, journaled in a bearing l3 formed in a suitable frame. This frame'may be the frame ofa closing machine or the like. The shaft l2 preferably extends above the top of the disc H and carries a can spacing and timing device l6 having positioned between'these fingersrand by riding along a stationary curved guide plate l8, disposed adjacent the outer edge of the disc; extending around approximately one-half itscircumf'erence and boltedto lugs |9 formed on th frame l4. j The timed cans are delivered one into each of a plurality of pockets 2| of a rotary star wheel 22 located adjacent the disc I and aligned with the topping mechanism. The star wheel is keyed to a vertical sleeve 23 (Fig. '3) journaled in a bearing 24 formed in the frame M. The sleeve is rotated at its lower end by'any suitable means and in time with the other moving parts of the'mechanism, IThus rotation of the star wheel moves the can off the disc II and onto a stationary support or table 26 which is mounted on the frame M. The can during this movement is guided by an arcuate plate 21 secured to lugs 28 formed on the frame. 1 5

While the cans are being propelledby the star wheel 22 they are operated upon by the topping mechanism. This mechanism is disposed directly over the top of the star wheel and comprises in part a disc 3| (Figs. 1 and 3) having a central 'ate deep grooves 35, which set oiT depending It is this plunger which is tenons or tines 36.

y utilized for compacting the projecting meat in the. cans. It is reciprocated vertically for this j purpose by cam action.

Eachtopper 33 is secured to the lower end of a vertical plunger rod38 carried for sliding movementin an, elongated bearing 39 formed on the disc 3| andheld against turning in its bearing in any suitablemanner, suchas for example, by akeyor the'like. At its upper end the plunger 'rod carries a shouldered pin 4| which in turn carries a cam roller 42. The roller engages within arcam groove 43 of a stationary cam 44 which issecured to the upper end of a stationary shaft 45. The shaft iscarriedin the sleeve 23 and its lower end is fixedly secured in the ,frame I4.

or other contents of the can and presses it down to the resilient. nature of the product and to l, 2,3 and 4), which is disposed over the path of below the upper rim or flange of the can/ Due prevent its rising up in the-canuthe plunger remainsin this lowered or insertedposition while the can is transferred .to the stationary table'26 and under a stationary hold down plate 5| (Figs.

' travel of the cans with just suflicient. clearance to permit the cans to pass under it. A flange ex- 22 moves 1 a pocketed can tension of the plate 5| is held in position by a bolt 52 (Fig. 3) which passes through the plate, a spacer 53, and the guide 21 and is secured in a boss 54 formed on the table 26; The other side of the plate is held by a bearing 55 which surthe moving of the can under it with the topping plunger 34 still positioned in the can. This is effected by a plurality of arcuateslots 51 formed in the front part of the plate, so as to provide clearance for the tines 36 of the plungerl Thus [the contents of the can are held depressed until thecan is fully under the hold downplate. The

plunger 34 is thenlifted out of the can by the cam 44 and anyrebound of the contents above the top of I the can is now resisted by the hold down'plate. V The can remains under the'hold down plate until itis ready for sealing and is conveyed along over the top of the table 26 toward the sealing.

mechanism. This movement of the can is effected by an endless chain conveyor 6| which travels through a channel 62 formed in the frame l4 under the table 26. Adjacent the star wheel 6 the chain runs over a sprocket :63, mounted on a vertical shaft 64, journaled in suitable bearings formedin the frame. The conveyor chain is moved over the sprocket and through the channel 62 under the hold down plate in any suitable manner and in time with the rotation of the star wheel.

As the cans are discharged from the star wheel,- one of a plurality of short dogs 65 carried on the conveyor chain and projecting up through a slot 60 (Fig. 3) formed in the table 26, engages behind eachcan, The dog 65 conveys the can along the table top. toward the:end:of the hold down plate and between the guide 21 and a guide 66 (Fig. 3) which forms an'extension of the guide plate |8'. Guide 66 is supported on spacer blocks 7 61 and is bolted in position by bolts 68 which extend through the guide, the spacer blocks, the table 26 and are threadedly engaged in. the frame I4.

Cover applying and can closing devices are disposed adjacent the end of the hold down plate 5| 7 sothat as soon as the can is moved out from under the. latter a cover is applied'and sealed before the contents have a chance 'to' rise up a above, the can top; The conveyor chain 6| passes through these devices and moves the can first onto a'lifter pad (Figs. 1 and 2). soon as the top of the can is free from the hold down plate theilifter pad is raised by any suitable means; A chain clearanceslot 10 in the pad permits this movement; This action moves thecan,

up into a suitable closing device such as a rotating seaming head 12 preferably having seaming rollers 13 and a chuck'l-l. This head is supported on a column "15 whichforms a part of the" framel l. a r r,

A can cover feedingiand holding device is dis- 'shouldered'groove -l'lformedin a stationary feed plate 18. The plate is supported by the column 7 A supported cover his, moved along the shoulposed directly under'the seaming head "for dered groove 11 bya-reciprocating slide 8 1 .which slides in a'suitable-channel 82 formed in the :feed plate 78. 7 At this forward end the slide carries a finger 83 which when the slide is moved toward the seaming head engages behind a. supported cover and moves it forward into a position in alignment with and'under the. seamingchuck 14.

This feeding of the cover is effected before the can-is lifted into the seaming head so that the raising of the can brings it into engagement with the cover. Thence both can and cover are lifted further into the seaming head and clamped against the chuck 74. In this position the seaming rollers 13 are brought into engagement with the clamped parts in the usual manner for securing the cover in place on the cam by interfolding their flanges into a suitable seam.

After this closing operationthe lifter pad H and the now sealed can carried thereon are lowered to their original position. A long finger 85 carried on the conveyor chain 6| behind the short finger 65 now engages the can and transfers it from the lifter pad to a continuation of the table 26 from which it is discharged by the conveyor chain in any suitable manner.

It should be understood that while the invention has been described as especially suited for the packing of resilient or elastic products in cans, the appended claims should be given a more liberal interpretation as it is conceivable that without any .change or with only slight change of construction the forked topping device may be adapted to pack other products.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,

construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a topping mechanism for a can closing machine or the like, the combination of means for supporting and feeding open top containers filled with a resilient product, topping elements for entering said containers and compressing said product within the tops thereof, and stationary apertured means for holding said product within the tops thereof, said apertured means permitting movement therethrough of said topping means and maintaining said product within said containers after removal of said topping means.

2. A topping mechanism in a can closing machine or the like, having in combination, means for supporting and feeding open top containers filled with a resilient product, topping elements for entering said containers and compressing said product within the tops thereof, and means for holding said product within said containers after removal of said topping means, said holding means having means for permitting movement of said topping elements through said holding means.

3. A topping mechanism in a container closing machine or the like, having in combination, means for supporting and feeding open top containers filled with a resilient product, topping elements for entering said containers and for compressing said product within the tops thereof, and means overlapping said elements for holding said product within said containers, said topping elements confining said product Within said containers until the latter are controlled by said holding means. 1 a

4. In a topping mechanism for a container closing machine or the like, the combination of means for supporting and feeding open top containers filled with a resilient product, topping elements for entering said containers and for compressing said product within the tops there'- of, and means for receiving said topping elements while inserted in said containers and for holding said product within said containers after removal of said topping elements therefrom.

5. In a topping mechanism for a container closing machine or the like, the combination of means for supporting and feeding open top containers filled with a product, tined top-ping elements for entering said containers and for compressing said product within the tops thereof, and

slotted means for receiving and intermeshing with said topping elements while inserted in said containers and for holding said product within said containers after removal of said topping elements therefrom.

6. In a topping mechanism for a container closing machine or the like, the combination of means for supporting and feeding open top containers filled with a product, movable topping elements traveling in alignment with the open tops of said containers for entering the same and for compressing said product within the tops thereof,

and a perforated stationary plate for receiving said topping elements while inserted in said containers and for holding said product within saidcontainers after removal of said topping elements therefrom.

'7. In a topping mechanism for a can closing machine or the like, the combination of means for supporting and feeding an open top container filled with a product, a movable topping element for entering said container and for compressing said product within the top thereof, a stationary plate cooperating with said topping element while in said container for holding said product within the container after removal of said topping element in a vertical direction, said holding plate being in vertical alignment with the path of movement of said topping element, and a conveyor for moving said container out of cooperating relation with said holding plate.

8. In a can treating machine, the combination with a feeding mechanism having a plurality of can holding pockets, of a topper mechanism having a plurality of topper plungers adapted to be brought into axial alignment with said pockets, each of said plungers comprising a plurality of can entering parts, and perforated means 00-- operating with said topper plungers to permit movement of said parts through said means.

9. A topping mechanism for use with a filled can treating machine, having in combination, a rotary can feed turret having a plurality of can holding pockets, 9. topper turret rotating in timed relation with said feed turret and having a plurality of can entering plungers, said pockets and said plungers moving in axial alignment with each other, each of said plungers having a plurality of curved tines for entering a filled can and compacting its contents, and a plate between said pockets and said plungers and having curved slots therein which permit movement of said tines, said plate also functioning to hold the can contents in compacted condition when said tines are Withdrawn from said can. 7

10. 'A can treating machine comprising in combination, means for supporting and feeding in a removal therefrom of said movable members, cover feed devices for positioning covers in vertical alignment with said filled containers after their removal from beneath said stationary means, means for engaging saidpositioned covers with said filled containers, and means for securing said positioned covers on said containers to hermetically seal the same.

JOHN H. MURCH. 

